KNB News Desk
Pulwama 17 February (KNB): Residents of Charsoo Awantipora, alleged that a doctor, who has been assigned at Govt Primary Health Centre (PHC) of the area by the Government, has been mostly absent.
Several locals reached out to Kashmir News Bureau and said that the Dr Ehsaan, has neglected his duty towards the patients of the area and remained absent from the Centre for most of the days in past three years i.e since he was assigned.
BDC Chairman Ghulan Nabi Reshi said, “We have fought to establish the Primary Health Centre so that people of the two nearby Halka do not suffer, especially in times of emergency. But from past three years we have noticed that the assigned doctor has neglected the Centre most of the days.”
“No doubt, medical staff at the Centre are performing their duty but who would address, diagnose and prescribe medicines if the doctor isn’t available,” He said.
Another local said, “In past 3 years, the doctor may has barely been seen at the Centre for few days and when he does visit, on the attendance register, he marks presence on all the days he has missed.”
“Rest of the medical staff at the Centrehis juniors and are obviously scared to raise their voice against him. In fact, the duty he (Doctor) is supposed to perform is taken care by the medical compounder there,” he added.
“I had to travel a long to take a patient to another government medical centre because the doctor assigned here is not present,” resident of the area said.
Talking to Kashmir News Bureau, BMO Tral, Bashir Ahmad said that several times he went to inspect reading the issue and most of the times found the Doctor available.
He said, “Not always but mostly during my inspection if found him (Doctor Ehsaan) present at the Primary Health Centre,” adding that for around two months, he had been on Covid-19 duty at another government medical Centre in Pulwama.
Bashir Ahmad said that they received complaints about his absence from the PHC in the past aswell and afterwards he was questioned about it.
“It was made certain that he performs the duty assigned to him and most of the time has done that,” Bashir added.
Speaking to Kashmir News Bureau, Doctor Ehsaan said, “I’ve been assigned duty at two medical centres, one at PHC Charsoo and second at District Hospital Pulwama, through out the week. I’m present at the PHC for 2-3 days and for the rest of the days, I’ve to be available at D H Pulwama.”
“I’m not taking separate salaries for my duty, I’ve been present at the PHC as per Government orders but the residents of these areas do not understand it,” he said.
He further added that there are some personal reasons for these few people of the area and that’s why they are speaking against him.
Regarding the allegations that he has absent from PHC since he has been assigned there, he said, “During the peak months of pandemic in Kashmir, I was deported to district hospital Pulwama for Covid-19 duty. It wasn’t possible for me to be at PHC Charsoo during those months.” (KNB)